Goliath and the Vampires [Maciste contro il vampiro] ** (1961, Gordon Scott, Gianna Maria Canale, Jacques Sernas, Leonora Ruffo, Annabella Incontrera, Mario Feliciani, Guido Celano) – Classic Movie Review 13,896

The 1961 Italian peplum film Goliath and the Vampires [Maciste contro il vampiro] stars muscleman Gordon Scott as the famed ancient world superhero Maciste, who sets out to battle the vampire Kobrak and his forces.

‘SEE The Revolt of the Faceless Humanoids! SEE The Torture Chamber of the Blue Men! SEE The Virgin Harem of the Vampire God! SEE The Lost Island of the Vampires! The mightiest battle of them all!’

Directors Sergio Corbucci and Giacomo Gentilomo’s 1961 Italian peplum film Goliath and the Vampires [Maciste contro il vampiro] stars muscleman Gordon Scott as the famed ancient world superhero Maciste, who sets out to battle the vampire Kobrak (Guido Celano) and his forces going from village to village taking slaves and female victims for their blood to feed his soldiers.

Amusingly, and entertainingly, the film is hysterically overheated and violent, and campy at the same time, with lots of improbable and extravagant actions scenes. Gordon Scott fits the bill exactly, and goes for it most manfully. Sergio Corbucci immediately reunited with him for Duel of the Titans [Romolo e Remo] (1961). Alvaro Mancor’s Technicolor cinematography and Kosta Krivokapic and Gianni Polidori’s set designs are outstanding, making the film look great, though prints have now badly faded, which is especially disappointing as the sets and photography are the film’s main strengths, along with Scott’s performance.

The US release changes Maciste’s name to Goliath, as distributors American International Pictures felt US audiences couldn’t handle Maciste.

Angelo Francesco Lavagnino’s original score was finally released on CD by Alhambra in 2016, showing that AIP used the bulk of Lavagnino’s score for their English language release. AIP staff composer Les Baxter merely reprised his ‘Goliath March’ from Goliath and the Barbarians (1959) and Goliath and the Dragon (1960) for the opening and closing titles. 

It is Gordon Scott’s first of Italian sword and sandal/ mythological muscleman movie.

It was submitted to the British Board of Film Censors as Goliath and the Vampires by Gala Film Distributors and passed with an X certificate (adults only) on 29 July 1964. The London premiere was at Gala’s Berkeley cinema, Tottenham Court Road, on 20 November 1964 where it ran three weeks. 

It was released in Italy as Maciste control il vampiro on 21 August 1961, but not released in the US till April 1964, as Goliath and the Vampires, with the main character’s name redubbed to Goliath. On US TV it was known as The Vampires.

The cast are Gordon Scott as Maciste, Gianna Maria Canale as Astra, Jacques Sernas as Kurtick, Leonora Ruffo as Guja, Annabella Incontrera as Magda, Mario Feliciani as Omar, and Guido Celano as the vampire Kobrak.

© Derek Winnert 2026 – Classic Movie Review 13,896

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